There's a lawsuit, possibly to become a class actions suit, related to the monopolism of cable companies like Time Warner offering only their cable box as an option (Meeds v. Time Warner Cable).  What I find amusing about this is that a class action suit of cable tv watchers is highly unlikely to succeed.  I mean, come on... they (we're) too busy watching TV to bring heat to a class action law suit.

Stupid Joke of the Day

A friend, who was previously enamoured of writing in her little leather notebook, just bought an iTouch. She now does all her writing in the iTouch. So I guess we could say she has had an iTouch Bris... She's had her Moleskin removed.

California Poppy Field

Deb and I went to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve accompanied by our friend Berthenia. I had been the to poppy reserve a couple times in the past but never when the flowers were in bloom. We stopped briefly last week on the way to the Kern River and it was quite beautiful. So we planned a day trip specifically to spend some time in the fields. It was even more spectacular a week later. There were more flowers spread over a greater area. We ended up doing about a 4 mile hike around the reserve. The wind was howling and it made the fields ripple like bright orange water. One piece of advice, if you go get there before 4pm as the flowers close up for the night.

Kayak Fishing - Redondo Beach 04/05/08

Went out for the first time this season. Was supposed to work but the event got cancelled so I loaded up the gear and headed down to Redondo for a nice sheltered shake down cruise. Found the fish finder but not the GPS. Everything else was right were I left it last fall. I added some NRS Rodeo 2mm pants and an Extrasport paddling shirt that I picked up on sale over the winter and was warm and cozy (I don't do cold well having moved here from Miami Beach).

Had a great day. Started late, was on the water sometime between 9 and 10 am. Got the tackle and gear sorted out and ended up catching a nice fat bass.

Deb got me some wheels for my kayak for Christmas. I must say, they make transporting the kayak from the van to the water much much easier.

I carry the kayak in inside my 1987 Toyota Van and it fits with not a millimeter to spare. I do this becuase: A) I don't have any roof racks and B) I couldn't get the van in the garage with the kayak on top anyway. The garage door's too low.

I bought the kayak used off of Craig's List. When I went to pick it up we slid it in to see if it would fit and the bow hit the front windshield and put a crack in it. I guess 20 year old glass is brittle. I've since replaced the front windshield and now have a piece of clear plexi that I put in front of the passenger seat to protect the glass. I took two pieces of tubular foam, cut a slit in them, and slid them on the edges of the plexi to cushion them against the glass. It all works out pretty nicely... except for the fish smell in the van rather than on the roof.

Kern River Flyfishing - March 2008

Went camping and fishing on the last weekend in March, 2008 with Deb. Well, we spent the first night in our 15 year old tent. And while it's a little tattered it was just fine. The problem was that we had a cheap twin air mattress and we're too old and to large to sleep comfortably on it. We had a lovely night, made a fire, cooked hot dogs for dinner. One negative was the campsite next to us wth a group of partying spring breakers. They weren't all that loud but they were incessant. The next night we got a room at a lovely little Inn overlooking the river called McCormacks or something like that. Much better for sleeping even though we didn't have a fire. Friday and Saturday I did some fly fishing. Didn't catch anything but had fun. Deb even threw in a spinner every now and then. The river was in full spring thaw flow, significantly over 1,000 cfps and the wind was blowing pretty good. So basically I put the fly where the wind and the river said I would. I didn't catch anything but it was a great way to start the spring.

Notice in the first picture that I'm wearing a kayaker's bouyancy vest. The flow of the river was high enough that I wanted a little extra protection in case I went in. I'm also wearing my brand new felt soled boots. I had heard that felt helped on the slippery rocks and man, they're like magic. I felt sure footed the whole time even in that fast current.

Where do the best thoughts come from?

Not that there's any indication yet that I have any interesting thoughts...

At the moment the most "profound" thoughts I have are while sorting underwear. And just underwear. When I'm sorting my $50 Land's End (apostrophe optional and controversial) I don't have randome interesting or funny thoughts. I'm worried about "have I dried them at the right temperature to maintain the iron-freeness of them?" and "Damn, I paid $50 for this shirt, I better hang it up ASAP or I'm wasting money!"

But when I'm folding old, comfortable, hint-of-skid-mark underwear and old gold toe socks I have mental resources to think of other things... such is the muse I serve.